Trolley-wire finder.



\ No. 753,839." I PATBNTBD MAR. 8, 1904.

' y W. BARNHURST. v

TROLLEY WIRE FINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1903. no MODEL. 2 sums-sum 1.

N 23' Lu WITNESSES; M

No. 753,839 I PATENTED MAR. s, 1904. v W. BARNHURST.

TROLLEY WIRE FINDER.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 1, 1903.

2 SHEETS'8HEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

Mill m'inesses;

- lnijenior,

1H: pgims FUEfis 1:0 rncrro-u'rna. WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES Patented March 8, 1904.

PATE T OFFICE.

' TROLLE Y-WIRE FINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 753,839, dated March 8, 1904.

Application filed Tune 1, 1903. Serial No. 159,593. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

This invention relates to improvements in trolley-wire finders, and more particularly to its attachment to trolleypoles and trolleyharps as a means of assistance in guiding the trolley-wheels attached to the harps of trolley-- poles back to the trolley-wire after the trolley-wheel has been'shifted from or slipped ofi said trolley-wire. and is of advantage as a means of saving time in quickly returning the accidentally or otherwise displaced trolley wheel to the trolley-wire, particularly at night when the wire is obscured by darkness, and is adapted to application to electric cars driven by electric current supplied by exposed overhead wires.

It has been customary for the carman heretofore in placing the trolley-wheel in contact with the trolley-wire to pull the trolley-pole around by means of a rope attached to the pole or harp until the trolley-wheel is immediately beneath the trolley-wire and then release the rope,thereby allowing the trolleywheel to come to its position in contact with the trolley-wire.

The operation of this invention enables the oarman to replace the trolley-wheel in contact with the trolley-wire without the necessity of the trolley-wheel being exactly under the trolley-wire, the forks of the trolleywire finder guiding the wire or the wheel to its proper position when the trolley-wire finder has been pulled by the carman by means of the rope attached into such place that the forks of the trolley-wire finder are beneath the trolley-wire, when by releasing the rope the trolley-wire or trolley-wheel is guided to the desired position by said forks.

Other objects and advantages will be under stood from the following description, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and specification.

Figure 1 is a side view of the trolley-wire finder attached to the trolley-pole or trolleyharp and is the normal position when not being operated. Fig. 2 is an end view from the rear, showing the-trolley-wire finder attached to the trolley-pole or trolley-harp and in normal position when not being operated. Fig. 3 is aside view of the trolley-wire finder attach'ed to the trolley-pole or'trolley-harp, the finder being swung in position for operation. Fig. his an end view of the trolley-wire finder attached to the trolley-pole or trolley-harp, the finder being swung into position for operation. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the hub of the grooved pulley or ropesheave of the finder, as will be hereinafter described.

Similar characters of reference are used toindicate the same parts throughout'the several Views. v

Fig. 1 is a side view of the trolley-wire-A in contact with'the trolley-wheel B, attached to the trolley-harp C on the trolley-pole D.

At E in Fig. 1 is shown a housing or.

bracket secured by bolts or pins to the trolley-harp or the trolley-pole at d d. Said housing or bracket is preferably made in halves, these halves being secured together by bolts, as shown at e e 6.

At T in Fig. 1 is shown a lug with hole-in same for attaching rope 7; for controlling the trolley-polewhen the finding device is not to be operated.

At R in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 is shown awedg'eshaped projection on the top of the housing E, extending out horizontally for separating the forks F F bycontact with the point S S on the said forks, as shown in Fig. 4, where the forks are swung upward into position for use.

At G in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 is shown a grooved rope pulley or' sheave,-revolving'on the pin K, as shown.

At F in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and a are shown forks hinged, by meansof lugs J and pins Z, to the ropepulley or rope-sheave G. These forks are spread at right angles to the line of the trolley-wire A, coming nearly together at the point immediately above the trolley-wheel B. when said forks are swung into position for operation, thereby guiding the trolley-wire or the trolley-wheel to the desired place.

At Z) in Figs. 1 and 3 is shown a rope passing up and around rope-pulley or rope-sheave G and secured to the sheave G by a knot at 6.

At J in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are shown lugs or projections for hinging forks F F by means of pins Z Z.

At 0, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is shown an offset in the forks F F to permit said forks to overlap when the finder is in normal position in order to reduce the spread of the said forks, so they may clear the trolley-wire A when the trolley wheel B slips off said trolleywire A.

At S S in Figs. 2 and 4, are shown points or projections on the forks F F for spreading said forks on their hinges when the forks are swung upward into contact with the point B, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and at.

At a in Fig. 5 is shown an annular recess in the hub it of the rope-sheave G for the purpose of receiving the spiral spring U, one end of which spring is inserted in the opening V in the housing or bracket E, the opposite end of said spring being inserted into the opening W of the hub h of said rope-sheave G.

At J in Fig. 5 are shown lugs or projections made rigid with the rope-sheave G for the purpose of hinging forks F F, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, by means of pins V.

At P in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 is shown a groove in rope sheave or pulley G for carrying operating-rope 6.

The operation of this device is as follows: When it is desired to place the trolley-wheel B in proper position on the trolley-wire A, the operator pulls downward on the rope &, thereby causing the rope-sheave G to swing around, carrying the forks F F into position over the trolley-wheel B and at the same time pulling the trolley-pole D downward and beneath the trolley-wire A, and when the trolley-pole D is permitted to rise the trolley-wheel B will seat itself under the trolley-wire A. When rope b is fully released, the spring Uin hub it in rope-sheave G, as shown in Fig. 5, having been given tension by the motion of placing forks F F in position, exerts power upon the hub It, causing forks F F to recede and swing into normal position for non-use, as shown in Figsfl and 2.

Having fully described my improved trolley-wire finder, whatIclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In atrolley-wire finder, a bracket or housing fastened to a trolley-pole or trolley-harp by means of pins or bolts; said bracket or housing containing a grooved rope pulley or sheave having hinged thereto forks substantially as shown.

2. In a trolley-wire finder, a bracket or housing fastened to a trolley-pole or trolley-harp by means of pins or bolts, said bracket or housing having a pointed or wedge-shaped projection and said bracket or housing containing a grooved rope pulley or sheave, the said pulley or sheave having hinged thereto forks, said forks having projections on same, which projections will separate said forks upon coming in contact with said pointed or wedgeshaped projection on the bracket or housing when said rope pulley or sheave is swung on its pin, substantially as shown.

3. In atrolley-wire finder, abracket orhousing fastened to a trolley-pole or trolley-harp by means of pins or bolts, the said bracket or housing containing a grooved rope pulley or sheave, the said pulley or sheave swinging upon a pin and having forks hinged thereto, the bracket or housing having a lug or projection for attaching a rope to guide the trolley-pole independently of the rope which operates the rope pulley or sheave of the finder, substantially as shown.

4. In atrolley-wire finder, abracket or housing made in halves for containing the operating-wheel, said halves to be bolted or riveted together; the operating-wheel or rope-sheave having hinged thereto forks, substantially as shown.

5. In a trolley-wire finder, a bracket or housing fastened to a trolley-pole or trolley-harp by means of pins or bolts and containing a grooved rope pulley or sheave swinging on a pin the pin being supported by said housing or bracket and said grooved rope pulley or sheave having hinged thereto forks, substantially as shown.

6. In a trolley-wire finder, a rotating sheave or rope-pulley operated by a rope or line, the sheave or pulley having hinged thereto forks, substantially as shown.

7. In a trolley-wire finder a bracket or housing, fastened to a trolley-pole or trolley-harp by means of pins or bolts, said bracket or housing carryingagrooved pulley or sheave swinging on a pin; the hub of said grooved pulley or sheave having an annular recess in same, into which recess is fitted a spiral spring, one end of which spring is attached to said hub and the other end of the spring is attached to the bracket or housing carrying said sheave, said grooved pulley or sheave having hinged thereto forks, substantially as shown.

8. In a trolley-wire finder, a bracket or housing fastened to a trolley-pole or trolley-harp by means of pins or bolts, said bracket or housing carryinga grooved pulley or sheave swinging upon a pin, said pulley or sheave having a projection or lug on each side for hinging thereto forks, substantially as shown.

9. In a trolley-wire finder, a bracket or housing fastened to a trolley-pole or trolley-harp by means of pins or bolts, said bracket or housing carrying a grooved pulley or sheave swinghaving an offset to permit of their overlapping and closing together, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I set my hand, in the 5 presence of 'two witnesses, this 25th day of' May, 1903.

WM. BARNHURST.

Witnesses:

R. H. MORRIS, J. C. VAN ARsDELL. 

